# In English, when you “have a thing about” skinny jeans, do you “love” them or “hate” them? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 30, 2015, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-english-when-you-have-a-thing-about-skinny-jeans-do-you-love-them-or-hate-them/718896 "2015-04-30T14:31:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Cartoonacy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/848f3c/32.png) [@Cartoonacy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartoonacy)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-english-when-you-have-a-thing-about-skinny-jeans-do-you-love-them-or-hate-them/718896/21 "2015-05-01T16:15:27Z")
> [@Melia\_Antiqua](#): > > Oh, I see. It now makes me wonder if “I have a thing **against** ” is commonly used as well? I don’t know about “_a_ thing,” but it’s common to say “_some_thing.” It sounds natural (to me) to say “Have you got something against bow ties?” but not “Have you got a thing against bow ties?” ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2015, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-english-when-you-have-a-thing-about-skinny-jeans-do-you-love-them-or-hate-them/718896/22 "2015-05-01T19:03:48Z")
> [@rbroome](#): > > when you “have a thing” about something you have a strong opinion. > That opinion could be either way. > Some people have a thing about promptness. They dislike anyone being late (or in principle early). > But that means they are in favor of being on time. So they like one thing and dislike another. > To " have a thing" is to have a strong opinion. This. And the rest of the context determines (or at least suggests) whether the opinion is favorable or not. ---
**Author:** ![guizot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guizot/32/3636_2.png) [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2015, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-english-when-you-have-a-thing-about-skinny-jeans-do-you-love-them-or-hate-them/718896/23 "2015-05-02T02:39:17Z")
> [@rbroome](#): > > when you “have a thing” about something you have a strong opinion. . . Or a strong feeling. Here are two examples of _ **have a thing for** _ in context from news media, one with more or less positive, and the other more or less negative, connotations: [QUOTE=Tavis Smiley Show, May 26, 2006 – Interview with actor Chris Gardner] Gardner: The bags (laughter). Tavis: The bags, plural (laughter). Your shopping cart full of bags. Tell me what happens when you get a place and your son - go ahead. You tell the story. Gardner: Well, the first thing I can say to you, I **have a thing about bags** to this day. I can not throw bags away. Tavis: So you got a houseful of bags (laughter). Gardner: I have a room in my house with nothing but bags in it, all right? Tavis: Got some nice ones too, I’m sure (laughter). Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue. Gardner: No, no, but I can not throw bags away. . . [/quote] [QUOTE=CNN- AM May 30, 2006 - Van Marsh on “The Power of Music” - Will I Am] VAN-MARSH: One of Bruno’s musical idols, the American group the Black Eyed Peas. And like Bruno, members of the Peas came from rough backgrounds. (on-camera): This is a return trip to South Africa for the Black Eyed Peas. They performed here a few years ago but said that they were surprised to see so few black in the audience. WILL.I.AM: Not that I have – not that I **have a thing about performing in front of white people**. I love Switzerland. I [just] didn’t think I was going to come to Switzerland in Africa. [/quote] [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-english-when-you-have-a-thing-about-skinny-jeans-do-you-love-them-or-hate-them/718896.md?page=1)